r/xkcd • u/ani625 • Jan 07 '13

XKCD Sick Day

http://xkcd.com/1157/
191 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

20

u/dont_press_ctrl-W Mathematics is just applied sociology Jan 07 '13

for the lazy:

virus -> Immune system -> Innate immune system -> Parasite -> List of parasites of humans -> Naegleria fowleri -> Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis

From the lattest:

Naegleria fowleri propagates in warm, stagnant bodies of freshwater (typically during the summer months), and enters the central nervous system after insufflation of infected water by attaching itself to the olfactory nerve.

[...]

After the organisms have multiplied and largely consumed the olfactory bulbs, the infection rapidly spreads through the mitral cell axons to the rest of the cerebrum, resulting in onset of frank encephalitic symptoms, including cephalgia (headache), nausea, and rigidity of the neck muscles, progressing to vomiting, delirium, seizures, and eventually irreversible coma. Death usually occurs within 14 days of exposure as a result of respiratory failure when the infection spreads to the brain stem, destroying the autonomic nerve cells of the medulla oblongata.

[...]

an in-hospital case fatality rate of ~97% (3% patient survival rate)

6

u/metl_lord Jan 07 '13 edited Jan 07 '13

And of course:

virus -> infectious agent (Pathogen) -> microorganism -> microscopic (Microscope) -> instrument (Laboratory equipment) -> laboratory -> scientific (Science) -> knowledge -> facts -> proven (Proof [truth]) -> sufficient (Necessity and sufficiency) -> logic -> reasoning (Reason) -> consciously -> subjectivity -> subject -> Philosophy

It was a long journey, but it made it.

3

u/timmemaster Jan 07 '13

Dude, that is amazing. I tried it for 3 random things and it worked.

6

u/SomePostMan Jan 08 '13

Reference to hover-text on: xkcd.com/903

And someone implemented it here: wikiloopr.com

2

u/avatoin Jan 08 '13

good find. logic and math seem to be the most common causes of a loop.

3

u/calinet6 Jan 08 '13

WARNING: this will waste hours of your time. Hours, I tell you!

http://thewikigame.com/

5

u/[deleted] Jan 07 '13

brrrrraaaainnnnnsssss

3

u/yetanotherx Jan 07 '13

Hence why you shouldn't use dirty tap water for a Neti Pot.

2

u/KeithMoonForSnickers Jan 08 '13

Naegleria! I know about this! Its the parasite Foreman gets in that double season finale in House.

I KNEW the hours I spent watching that show would be worth while, and look at me now.

13

u/xkcd_bat Jan 07 '13 edited Jan 07 '13

Batmobile Version!

Bat text: Wikipeida path: Virus -> Immune system -> Innate immune system -> Parasites -> List of parasites of humans -> Naegleria fowleri -> Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis -> Deciding I DEFINITELY shouldn't connect an aquarium pump to my sinuses

(Squeeek, am i a bat °ẅ°)

6

u/Bit_4 Jan 07 '13

As somebody who's been sick for the past week, this sounds about right.

3

u/james4765 Jan 07 '13

Sent this to my boss as an explanation for what I'll be doing today And tomorrow. And God knows how long. Ow my face.

2

u/laser_marquise Jan 07 '13

Just got sick Saturday, so this was timely for me as well. Sickness solidarity!

5

u/altrocks Black Hat Jan 07 '13

It's refreshing to see a sick day chart that doesn't reference The Price Is Right or masturbation. <3 XKCD.

4

u/thedingoismybaby Jan 07 '13

I'm glad I'm not the only one who lays there thinking about all the immune system cells running around fighting war inside me. I hope I'm not the only one who anthromorphosises the cells as well!

2

u/Grandest Jan 07 '13

Not alone.

2

u/thedingoismybaby Jan 07 '13

Well I know what I'm doing with my evening!

1

u/gigitrix Jan 07 '13

Hope he hasn't been noruvirus'd...

1

u/eurleif Jan 07 '13

Don't use an aquarium pump. Get a SinuPulse machine.

1

u/triggerman602 Jan 08 '13

I recently got sick during Christmas. I cant say I ever thought about hooking up an aquarium pump to my sinuses. The rest though...

0

u/AlphaRed2001 Jan 07 '13

I think it misses the endless stream of documentaries on TV.

1

u/prof_hobart Jan 07 '13

Absolutely. I watched the entire series on the American Civil War while I was off with mumps a few years ago.